If it's stolen or lost, the airline's liablility is _very_ limited. It varies from airline to airline, but for international travel they probably won't reimburse you much more than around $20/kg ($9/lb) for lost or stolen baggage. And, every airline ticket agreement has a lot of fine print containing a long list of items that they specifically won't replace in the event of loss or damage.

I went for a month vacation to manila/iloilo/boracay twice and I don't check in my camera equipment except for my tripod. I usually carry my lowepro fastpack 350. At the security check point they will just scan your bag without any problem. My connecting flights during that time were O'hare, Tokyo and NAIA and there's a free shuttle from NAIA to manila domestic airport.

For international flight to asia you are allowed 2 hand carry and 2 check in luggage. Just be careful when you arrive in manila-NAIA. Those porter will just grab your bag and insist to help you and they will ask for a tip even if you refused their help. The people in the luggage scanner area in mnl domestic airport also asking for some tip.

Never say never. Seriously, I would be very careful about heeding such advise that includes a "never", especially when it comes to a topic like this.

Worst thing that can happen is you show up to board the aircraft and are not prepared for a flight attendant to tell you you have to check your gear. Check it or you don't board the plane. It's happened to me. Granted, with the gear you listed you probably will not have any trouble carrying it on. But if you travel with more gear and use a bigger bag you are probably wise to be prepared to check it.

Oh wait, one "never" I'll toss into this thread...never travel without insuring your gear. IMO, it should be insured all the time--and certainly if you're a pro--but at the very least I would double check to make sure you know what coverage you have in the event something happens, whether it's while flying, at the hotel, out and about, whatever. I've checked my gear often and never had anything lost, broken or stolen.

I travel frequently, 60+ flights per year, and check my gear most of the time. Only if I'm carrying a small subset of gear do I carry on.

And yes, as Scott mentioned, some plane may make you put it in the belly if they have small or crowded bins, I had to put a roller on underneath because it had wheels and there is the case on some international flights I've had that 7kg is your carry on limit.

When I check gear, its in a Pelican case that I put a heavy duty masterlock on - just leave it unlocked so it can pass the baggage scanner (they'll lock it after they inspect).

So, as Scott mentioned, the assuredness of your gear going missing is hardly a guarantee and in my case 100% untrue. It's also nice to check you gear to not have to lug it around layovers, but with your small pack, it shouldn't be too bad.

I've checked an awful lot of very valuable items in flight and never had a problem. If you are going to check a bag with expensive gear purchase the extra bag insurance from the airline at the counter. I used to pay around $50 for 5k of insurance. They put special tags on bags insured like this and hand load them.

I always carry mine (shouder bag) and get my wife to carry a second bag. Only spare hardware goes in my suitcase. Always check the size/weight limits of each airline for your class of travel. I never use the absolute cheapskate airlines but have yet to find one that checks the weight. Other photographes I ask confirm this.

I would point out that I carry numerous rare film lenses which would be difficult to replace. I cover mine with semi-pro insurance for replacement cover. That also covers them inside a locked vehicle, which most will not.

Never done this but read about it before. Get a nice Pelican case and put the gear in it you'll check. Then get a starter pistol and put it in there. You declare it at check in and they inspect and seal your bag. That supposedly warrants special handling and that it remains unopened for the remainder of the trip. I can't say it works but it's interesting.

When I check gear, its in a Pelican case that I put a heavy duty masterlock on - just leave it unlocked so it can pass the baggage scanner (they'll lock it after they inspect).
Not an option when travelling Tourist class in Europe, where one bag, up to 20kg, is the limit.

An option, more for pros, is to hire your hardware, or the core items, at your destination.

I used to take all my equipment in the cabin, but in the last few years I've packed my tripod in the checked luggage. I take the ballhead off and throw it into the camera bag that I take into the cabin. I can understand security people being leery of tripods, put spikes on and you have a very nice spear/weapon...

My tripod, rarely used, always goes in my suitcase, the lightest one weighing 1.5kg and I don't pack ballheads. Flash gear, not used on last trip, also goes in there (lots of bubble wrap). Both are more likely to be used for film, where two bodies with two speeds of film don't always meet needs. With digital's variable ISO, the need rarely arises. (I mostly shoot in the open in sunlight or bright overcast).

DLP wrote:
If you are going to check a bag with expensive gear purchase the extra bag insurance from the airline at the counter. I used to pay around $50 for 5k of insurance. They put special tags on bags insured like this and hand load them.

Ha! I came here to discourage exactly that.

Know the Contract of Carriage for the airline you're flying before you consider purchasing the airline insurance. Gate agents and ticketing agents are not particularly knowledgable about what's in it, and in most cases the supplementary value insurance will not insure your photo equipment (or anything else you care about insuring).

In some cases it may have the benefit of getting your stuff treated with kid gloves, and that may be worth the cost to you, but on most airlines you're paying good money for $0 of insurance. If it's excluded without supplementary insurance, it's typically also excluded from supplementary insurance, so don't do this expecting to be able to claim if they break it.

definitely purchase insurance - I added it on to my home owners insurance.
I carry my precious gear in a fstop loka, but everything is inside a medium icu. I have not had a problem yet, as my bag is often smaller than many carry ons. Nonetheless, I can always pull out the icu and put it under the seat

I try to take my gear as carry on. I always make sure that I get as much as it can fit in a bag that goes under the front seat. Never had to check in anything but I wouldnt unless it was insured and had a proper bag/box for it.